{
    "term": "nerve",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "image": "data/images/bo/body_eye.png",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "any of the long fibres that carry messages between the brain and parts of the body, enabling you to move, feel pain, etc.",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the optic nerve"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He's off work with a trapped nerve in his neck."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Every nerve in her body was tense."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The illness kills nerve cells and causes chronic fatigue."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Pain occurs when the nerve fibres are damaged."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Signals are transmitted from the nerve endings to the brain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The disease can also cause nerve damage."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Cutting the nerves to the stomach does not affect hunger."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He damaged a nerve in his spine."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I've trapped a nerve in my spine."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Intense pain shot through every nerve in his body."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The message travels along the nerve to the brain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The nerve runs from the eye to the brain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The nerves transmit pain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The vagus nerve controls heart rate and breathing."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Body", "Biology"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["pinched", "trapped", "sensitive"],
                "verb + nerve": ["damage", "pinch", "strain"],
                "nerve + verb": ["go", "lead", "run"],
                "nerve + noun": ["bundle", "cell", "ending"],
                "preposition": ["along a/​the nerve", "nerve in", "nerve to"],
                "phrases": [
                    "every nerve in somebody’s body",
                    "hit a nerve",
                    "strike a (raw) nerve"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "feelings of worry or stress",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Even after years as a singer, he still suffers from nerves before a performance."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I need something to **calm my nerves**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to settle/soothe/steady your nerves"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Everyone's **nerves were on edge** *(= everyone felt )."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **lives on his nerves** *(= is always worried)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "By the end of the meal her nerves were completely frayed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Have some herbal tea to settle your nerves."
                },
                {
                    "text": "At the end of a day's teaching, her nerves were absolutely shattered."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Caring for him while he was so ill has been a great strain on her nerves."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He uncharacteristically allowed nerves to get the better of him in yesterday's game."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her nerves were shot from all the things happening around her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her nerves were stretched to breaking point."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His nerves jangled every time his phone rang."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I had an attack of nerves just before I went on stage."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'm not sure my nerves can stand another night like this."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I've never suffered from first-night nerves."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It gave me time to calm my jittery nerves before meeting her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He lay awake, his nerves throbbing."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Feelings"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["exam", "first-night", "jittery"],
                "verb + nerves": ["calm", "control", "ease"],
                "phrases": [
                    "an attack of nerves",
                    "a bag of nerves",
                    "a bundle of nerves"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the courage to do something difficult or dangerous",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It took a lot of nerve to take the company to court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I was going to have a go at parachuting but **lost my nerve** at the last minute."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **held his nerve **to win the final set 6–4."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Investors largely **kept their nerve** and stayed with the company."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was an amazing journey which tested her nerves to the full."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You must find the nerve to ask for more money."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Steeling my nerve, I jumped the first bar."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Singing in front of so many people was a real test of nerve."
                },
                {
                    "text": "At the last minute she almost lost her nerve."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He kept his nerve to win a thrilling game."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I didn't have the nerve to ask."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It took a lot of nerve to stand up and speak."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Skydiving is all right for people who've got the nerves for it."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "guts",
            "topics": ["Personal qualities"],
            "collocations": {
                "verb + nerve": ["have", "lack", "lose"],
                "nerve + verb": ["break", "fail (somebody)"],
                "phrases": ["a failure of nerve", "a loss of nerve", "a test of nerve"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a way of behaving that other people think is rude or not appropriate",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I don't know how you **have the nerve** to show your face after what you said!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He's **got a nerve** asking us for money!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Then she demanded to see the manager!’ ‘**What a nerve!**’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **had some nerve **to insult Mina's cooking."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "cheek"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to be very nervous",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "By the time of the interview, I was a bundle of nerves."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Feelings"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to annoy somebody",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "That music is starting to get on my nerves."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It really gets on my nerves when people talk loudly on the phone in public."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His endless whining really gets on my nerves."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to be able to remain calm in a difficult or dangerous situation",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You need nerves of steel to be a good poker player."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to mention a subject that makes somebody feel angry, upset, embarrassed, etc.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You touched a raw nerve when you mentioned his first wife."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My remarks about divorce had unwittingly touched a raw nerve."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The article struck a raw nerve as it revived unpleasant memories."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Feelings"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to try as hard as you can to do something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He strained every nerve to snatch victory from defeat."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to have a strong effect",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His work strikes a nerve with people who are attracted to nostalgia."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It seems I struck a nerve with my last post about cell phones."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Nissan may well strike a popular nerve here."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "an attempt to defeat your opponents by putting pressure on them so that they lose courage or confidence",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The union has been fighting a war of nerves with the management over pay."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/nɜːv/",
                "audio": "ne/nerve/nerve__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/nɜːrv/",
                "audio": "ne/nerve/nerve__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English (also in the sense ‘tendon, sinew’): from Latin nervus; related to Greek neuron ‘nerve’ (see neuron)."
}